There are "Bandogs" & then there is the AmericanSentinelCanine

Welcome to American Sentinel K9, LLC, home to the most proven bandog (bandogge) program in existence! People not well versed about the history of bandogges are often misled to believe the term bandog defines a cross bred dog composed of specific breeds, but that is not historically accurate. The modern spelling of "bandog" is derived from the much older spelling "bandogge," which dates back for nearly a thousand years. When translated to modern English, the root word "bande" means bound servant. The term bandogge described a canine gladiator that worked as a sentry dog or catch dog that was restrained by a tether (chain or leash) until it was time to catch and subdue human adversaries or dangerous animals. Once this is understood, it is very easy to appreciate the extensive history of the bandogge; after all, the first domesticated dogs were service dogs that earned their keep by helping people secure food and/or protect their territory. Dogs earned the legendary title of "bandogge" only after they displayed exceptional physical abilities and relentless mental determination to apprehend, control, and subdue their opponent. "Bandog" does not define a breed or cross, it defines an individual with unique combative skills. The actual breed name of our strain of bandogs is "American Sentinel." (Review our article on the History of the Bandogge for more information on this subject.)

The American Sentinel training, testing, and breeding program started in 2000, so not only is it the most proven bandog program in existence, but also one of the oldest bandog programs around. To produce healthy, practical, and functional protection dogs, we at American Sentinel K9, LLC strive to maintain the highest standards in the working bandog (bandogge) industry, and with a little research you too will discover we are unsurpassed in this regard.

display mental stability by being safe with their family unit, even in stressful situations;

display the determination, size, athleticism, & power needed to stop an intruder; &

be mobile, clean, & agile enough for regular transport.

Why choose a Bandog produced by American Sentinel K9, LLC?

American Sentinel K9, LLC is licensed by the State of Mississippi and has the highest standards in the Bandog industry. H. Lee Robinson, M.S. is the owner and training director at American Sentinel K9, LLC. Before working to improve the quality of working dogs in the United States, Lee pursued accurate information on the various philosophies, theories, and practices as they pertained to animal behavior, anatomy & physiology, husbandry, genetics, and reproduction. Lee's research and personal interests with working animals led him to study bandogs in the early 1990's while obtaining a Bachelor's Degree (1993) and a Master's Degree (1997) in Animal Sciences from the University of Illinois.

While pursuing his education, Lee also gained experience in animal behavior, training, and reproduction by working with professionals in the animal industry, including various canine trainers as well as the Center or Reproduction of Endangered Wildlife (CREW) at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden's, and became certified in Artificial Insemination. Every dog bred at American Sentinel K9, LLC is performance tested and hip x-ray tested, and we offer one of the best health guarantees in the bandog industry. In addition to the above, Lee has produced and trained hundreds of working bandogs. For these reasons, American Sentinel K9, LLC is able to offer a level of education, experience, and service that other bandog breeders cannot match.

Why get a protection dog / guard dog?

Like any dog, owning a sentry dog, guard dog, or protection dog requires responsibility and is not the best option for people that are irresponsible or that do not like animals. That said, there is a reason dogs are the oldest domesticated species on the planet. Simply put, they can be a great asset. Dogs provide not just companionship, they also watch, alarm, protect, hunt, and excel at scent detection. Without getting into crime statistics, most of us already know that criminal activity occurs far too often, and in a struggling economy crime is one thing that tends to rise. Here at American Sentinel K9, LLC, we find great pleasure in helping honest law abiding citizens gain back some of their safety and security by providing them with an additional layer of protection for their property, lives, and most loved possessions...their family and children.

Even in today's technological world, crime prevention statistics report that a large confident dog is still one of the best layers of home and personal protection that one can have. A home alarm is great, and we recommend them, but they typically do not actually stop people from coming into your home. Instead, they only notify you that someone is already in your home. It is obviously better to stop them from ever getting inside in the first place. While firearms can also be a valuable asset, they cannot come to you when you need them nor can they wake you up when you are sleeping. Additionally, criminals are generally cowardice individuals that look for easy targets. When a criminal sees a big dog clearly telling them to go somewhere else, criminals tend to quickly honor that request. In summary, a quality protection dog not only reduces the chance a criminal will come in, but should a criminal come in the dog will let you know when that happens and can come to your aid when needed...that is if one has the right dog for the job.

Know what to look for in a Bandog

Before buying what you believe is a functional bandog, we recommend that you do a bit of research to make sure you do not purchase a poorly bred dog by one of the many fake, yet supposed, "bandog programs" that are unfortunately far too common today. "Bandogs" have become somewhat of a fad in some circles and are often misrepresented, and unfortunately many pretenders have popped up. These individuals some times believe their own nonsense, but more often than not they are knowingly misrepresenting themselves and will lie to sell an unqualified dog to a potential client. That said, do not worry. These fake individuals are easily and quickly recognized for what they really are. A little research now can save you many headaches later. All you need to do is ask for a performance demo of their breeding stock. We understand many of the people interested in protection dogs, sentry dogs, and/or guard dogs are new to the subject and do not really know what to look for, so below we are providing a few tips:

First, if they do not work their dogs, they do not really have bandogs. Do not expect to get a working bandog from untested stock. Like horses, champions are produced from performance tested breeding stock.

Second, if they claim to work their dogs but refuse to provide evidence of such, they are a fake. No professional refuses to provide evidence of their work, and it disgusts us to hear of supposed "bandog" breeders or supposed "protection dogs trainers" say they do not share videos of their dogs doing protection work but then expect you to fork over your hard earned money because you should "trust them." Do not believe hype. Demand proof.

Fourth, protection dogs need to be physically sound in order to be functional. Physical traits should not be grossly exaggerated. Movement should display agility and authority. Avoid "protection dogs" with short muzzles. No quality protection dog has a short muzzle. Short muzzles lack the gripping area required to obtain and maintain a secure grip and are inefficient with heat dissipation. Avoid breeders that advertise measurements of a dog's head or excessively focus on the dog's weight. Neither means anything when it comes to your family's safety. The most capable protection dogs and gladiator hunting dogs always come from tested stock, and are typically in the 80-110 range (males 90-110# & females 80-100#). I personally avoid protection dogs or hunting catch dogs that are less than 70#, but even a quality 70# dog is more than capable. Dogs over 110-120# range that work really well are an exception, and they seldom reproduce themselves. Agility, efficiency, endurance, and heat tolerance tend to suffer when one goes very large. Over-weight dogs and under-weight dogs are simply a product of owner negligence. To verify the physical capabilities of our dogs, notice that many of our dogs have caught too many wild boar to count, some of which have been over 300+ pound (catching dangerous wild game). Wild boar are armed with tusks, and fight much harder than most men ever will. I assure you, a quality and well put together 100# protection dog delivers more than enough power to handle an intruder.

Fifth, protection dogs must have a strong desire to please their family unit and should display strong bonding characteristics; which improves their sense of loyalty and responsibility. Protection dogs should be mentally stable even during stressful situations. Dogs with a high degree of dominance are often preferred by law enforcement or military since such dogs are typically easy to train, but rank driven dogs do not make good candidates around children. Our dogs are bred to be family companion K9 guardians. Our dogs display high prey drive and fight drive with a sufficient amount of defense drive; but tend to be lower in rank drive than the dogs typically used by the police and military. One should always practice good judgement, but simply put, the American Sentinel is typically more tolerant of children than are dogs high in rank drive because American Sentinels are less interested in dominating or challenging their family unit. Review our article on animal behavior for more information about the mind of the working dog.

There is a great deal of information about our program throughout the various pages of this website; however, if you would like to arrange a visit or discuss things in further detail, contact me at AmericanSentinelK9@gmail.com.

All pictures, videos, and information on this website are property of American Sentinel K9, LLC and may not be copied or distributed without the expressed written consent of H. Lee Robinson.

American Sentinel K9, LLC - Creator of the American Sentinel as the premier family K9 companion guardian. The American Sentinel is the most tested and proven bandog in existence today, and performs very well in protection applications or as a canine hunter of dangerous wild game, such as wild boar.